Packet transfer control method

Abstract

A packet transfer control method and a system employing the method achieve the search of a high capacity and a plurality of parameters required for hardware routing. The method includes the steps of finding, by means of hardware processing, a first route information which has been address solved by a tree search using a destination address contained in the header information of the IP packet; finding a second route information which has been solved by information, excluding the destination address, that specifies a packet; and combining the first and the second route information to judge the execution of transfer to software.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A packet transfer control method in which a transfer destination can be solved from header information of an IP packet, the method comprising the steps of: 
 finding, by means of hardware processing, a first route information which has been address solved by a tree search using a destination address contained in the header information of the IP packet;    finding a second route information which has been solved by information, excluding the destination address, that specifies a packet; and    combining the first and the second route information to judge the execution of transfer to software.    
     
     
         2 . The packet transfer control method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the information, excluding the destination address, that specifies a packet includes a source address, protocol type and port number at TCP/UDP or other packet header information, or includes identifying information to be given to a packet within an apparatus.    
     
     
         3 . The packet transfer control method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 giving individual band control conditions to each of the first and the second route information; and    combining the first and the second routes to determine a final band control.    
     
     
         4 . A packet transfer control method in which a transfer destination is solved from header information of an IP packet, the method comprising the steps of: 
 searching a destination by a tree search, with a destination parameter contained in the header information of the IP packet as a search condition; searching specified flow data by use of a memory that is able to search by hardware whether the specified flow data is in data set for one input data, the specified flow data exchanging route information and information in a protocol that performs network management, from a plurality of parameters contained in the header information of the IP packet; and    combining the destination searched by the tree search and the specified flow data to judge the execution of transfer to software.    
     
     
         5 . The packet transfer control method according to  claim 4 , wherein the step of searching the specified flow data by use of the memory includes the steps of individually searching the contents of each parameter that can be masked, and searching by a plurality of times decoding conditions of each parameter that can be masked.  
     
     
         6 . The packet transfer control method according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 the data set for one input data are configured to have data and a mask to determine an effective range on a data-to-data basis.    
     
     
         7 . A packet transfer control system having an edge node connecting an access network and a core network, the edge node converting an IP packet into a core network address for each destination of the packet so that transfer through the core network can be made via an optimum route, the system comprising: 
 means for, by hardware processing, finding a first route information which has been address solved by a tree search depending on a destination address contained in header information;    means for finding second route information which has been solved by information, excluding a destination address, that specifies a packet; and    means for combining the first and the second route information to judge the execution of transfer to software.    
     
     
         8 . The packet transfer control system according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the information, excluding the destination address, that specifies a packet includes a source address, protocol type and port number at TCP/UDP or other packet header information, or includes ID information to be given to a packet within an apparatus.    
     
     
         9 . The packet transfer control system according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 means for giving individual band control conditions to each of the first and the second route information, the means combining the first and the second routes to determine a final band control.    
     
     
         10 . A packet transfer control system having an edge node connecting an access network and a core network, the edge node converting an IP packet into a core network address for each destination of the packet so that transfer through the core network can be made via an optimum route, wherein 
 the edge node comprises:    means for searching a destination by a tree search, with a destination parameter contained in the header information of the IP packet as a search condition;    a memory (CAM: content Addressabe Memory) for allowing a hardware search of whether to lie within data set for one input data;    means for searching, by use of the memory, a specified flow data exchanging route information and information in a protocol that performs network management, from a plurality of parameters contained in the header information of the IP packet; and    means for combining the destination searched by the tree search and the specified flow data to judge the execution of transfer to software.    
     
     
         11 . The packet transfer control system according to  claim 10 , wherein the means for searching the specified flow data by use of the memory includes means for individually searching the contents of each parameter that can be masked, and means for searching by a plurality of times decoding conditions of each parameter that can be masked.  
     
     
         12 . The packet transfer control system according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the data set for one input data are configured to have data and a mask to determine an effective range on a data-to-data basis.